Opelousas, Louisiana –Oh So Daunting ($34.60) stunned both his rivals and the betting public with a narrow victory over odds/on favorite Bottle of Shine in the $305,078 LQHBA Sales Futurity Saturday evening at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino.

Breaking alertly under the meets leading jockey Danny Lavergne, Oh So Daunting opened up a clear lead in mid-stretch, then just held off the sustained late rally by the favorite to win by a head. The running time for the 350 yards on a track labeled fast was 18.025.

Bottle of Shine, tasting defeat for only the second time in six career starts rallied strongly after attempting to lug in during the middle stages of the race. Victoria Shines edged out Achievement Jes & Heza Jodys Toast for the show spot. Others in the field included McM Dozen Dasher, Tip Em, Cjs Running Horse, and Miss Kate Shines. Passions Fellow injured himself in the starting gate and was a late scratch.

Oh So Daunting, a Louisiana bred gelding by Daunting Presence earned more than $125,000 for the win, his third in seven lifetime starts for owner Marty Acheson and trainer Kenneth Roberts.

 

The LQHBA Consolation worth $53,837 was held the previous evening with Call Me Jess Love ($8.40) recording an overpowering win under jockey Tami Purcell. The gelded son of Call Me Together out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Love, stormed to the front in mid-stretch before drawing clear in the final 100 yards to win by more than 1 π lengths. The running time of 17.967 for the 350 yards on a track labeled fast earned him a speed index of 94. Owned by the Jamie Torres Masonry Inc. and trained by Bobby Martinez, Call Me Jess Love was bred in Louisiana by J E Jumonville Jr. Heza Streakin Dash was up in the final yards for second, with early pacesetters Miss Triple Lynn & Six Moon Delta finishing third and fourth respectively. Dynomax, Lights Out Lidge, and Sign On Toast were scratched.

Also on Friday evening, McM First Light ($3.40) prevailed in a blanket finish in the $53,700 Evangeline Maiden Graduation Stakes under jockey John Hamilton. A three-year-old gelded son of First to Shine, McM First Light covered the 400 yards in 20.644. Shine on Morgan rallied in the late stages to grab the runner-up spot, with Aj What a Dash finishing third, just in front of Illusion Inc.

Racing continues on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule with a post time of 6:20 p.m. each evening as Evangeline Downs switches to an eleven race program starting Thursday, October 12.

For more information contact Evangeline Downs at 337 594-3000.